Vision inspection apparatus using a full reflection mirror

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vision inspection apparatus and method using total reflection mirrors. The present invention provides a vision inspection apparatus using the total reflection mirrors comprising; a board position control module for fixing a printed circuit board; an independent lighting unit for primarily illuminating the printed circuit board; a photographing position control module for changing a reflection angle to required location coordinates of the printed circuit board; a camera for obtaining an image of the printed circuit board; a control unit including a motion controller, a lighting controller, and an to image processor to control the components; and a vision processing unit for reading the image obtained through the camera and judging whether the image is good or bad. The present invention has effects capable of obtaining a clear image of inspection objects by increasing a quantity of light entered into the camera through a stationary direct illuminating type of independent lighting unit, and accomplishing a precise inspection by preventing shadows from generating on the vision inspection of the object such as a printed circuit board on which different sizes of components are mounted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a vision inspection apparatus and method using total reflection mirrors.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Generally, a surface mounting technology (SMT) for assembling surface mounting devices (SMD) on a printed circuit board (PCB) etc. comprises a technology of miniaturizing and integrating the surface mounting devices, and technologies of developing precise assembly equipment for assembling the surface mounting devices precisely and operating various kinds of assembly equipments.[0003]In this connection, a surface mounting assembly line is consisted of apparatuses such as a surface mounting machine and a vision inspection apparatus, wherein the surface mounting machine, for mounting the surface mounting devices on the printed circuit board, is supplied various kinds of the surface mounting devices supplied in forms such as tape, stick and tray from a feeder and transfers to a mounting position on the printed circuit board, then, locates the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a vision inspection apparatus and method using total reflection mirrors that can improve inspection operation efficiency by minimizing driving torque and vibration. The apparatus includes a board position control module for fixing a printed circuit board on a suitable inspection position, an independent lighting unit for primarily illuminating the printed circuit board, a photographing position control module for changing a reflection angle by attaching total reflection mirrors on axes of X-Y axis motors to required location coordinates on the printed circuit board, a camera for obtaining images of the printed circuit board reflected from the photographing position control module, a control unit for controlling the photographing position control module and the board position control module, an independent lighting unit for illuminating the printed circuit board, and a vision processing unit for reading the image obtained through the camera and judging whether the image is good or bad. The method includes fixing a printed circuit board on a suitable inspection position, illuminating the printed circuit board with an independent lighting unit, adjusting an incidence angle and a reflection angle with the total reflection mirrors attached on axes of X-Y axis motors in order to transmit an image of the printed circuit board to the camera, converting the image entered to the camera into digital data, and reading the image obtained through the camera and judging whether mounted components are good or bad."

Problems solved by technology

However, the prior art vision inspection apparatus and method have problems that each component accompanies large loads on its driving and serious vibrations on its halt since the camera is fixed and the printed circuit board is moved, or the printed circuit board is fixed and the camera is moved for photographing various soldering parts on the printed circuit board, thereby separating the devices from the original position by a vibration of the inspection apparatus itself when the mounted state of the devices is inspected before the soldering process.

Further, a wide installation space is required due to a large-scale of the apparatus itself since a movable space of the camera and the printed circuit board should be occupied.

In addition, the prior art has a problem that an inspection position cannot visually confirmed during the test since a distance between the camera and an inspection object is close.

Especially, the half mirror 600 installed on a light path in order to coincide an image path with an illumination path can not accomplish a precise inspection since the image of the inspection area 300 can not be transmitted clearly to the camera 200 as a quantity of light of the illumination or the image passed through due to its characteristics is lost about a half.

While the inclined light has no problem when an object in the inspection area 300 is formed in a plane, when the printed circuit board on which various components having different heights are mounted is inspected, reliability of the inspection is reduced since a clear image can not be obtained due to shadows generated by the each component.

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